With melon, ham, black olives, ricotta quick bread and here we find ourselves in the land of colors! You won’t be skeptical for a long time before your serve this savory bread, sliced as an appetizer. Melon and ricotta sweeten this recipe while cured ham and olive bring the salty touch. This bread is perfect as an appetizer as I said before, but you can make it your lunch at work, with a quick green salad too!
Preparation time: 15 min – Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredient list for the melon, ham, black olives, ricotta Bread
Serves 6
- 1 medium melon
- 8 slices of Parma or any air-cured ham
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 lb (200g) ricotta
- 3 1/2 oz (100g) pine nuts
- 1 3/4 cup (180g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 bunch of basil
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 25 pitted black olives
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
1. Cut the melon flesh into small cubes and let them drain with salt in a colander while preparing the cake batter. Preheat your oven to a high temperature, starting at 480°F (250°C).
2. Whisk eggs and ricotta together, and then add the flour, baking powder, oil, chopped basil leaves, pine nuts, Parma ham cut into small pieces, chopped olives, and a little pepper. You can add salt, but be aware that the ham and olives should bring enough salt into the batter.
3. The dough should be sticky; this is normal.
4. Drain and gently add the melon into the preparation.
5. Then grease a rectangular cake pan with olive oil. Pour the batter into the pan and decorate with the remaining olives on top.
6. Lower the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake for about 1 hour (depending on your oven). It is better to check doneness with the tip of a knife.
Serve the cake warm as a starter with a green salad accompaniment. Otherwise it will be delicious served cold as an appetizer.
(Photo by Eleonora Grosjean)
